The Space Between Us, an upcoming romantic science fiction film set in the near future, follows the life of one of the first astronauts to travel to Mars. However, the astronaut soon discovers on the red planet that she is pregnant, and dies in childbirth. Her son, Gardner Elliot, proceeds to live his life on Mars, before forming a friendship online with a girl from Earth, Tulsa.

When Elliot turns 11, he is allowed the opportunity to go to Earth to meet Tulsa. Unfortunately, Elliot discovers that his organs cannot survive Earth’s gravity. Gardner and Tulsa then strive to see as much of the Earth as possible, before it’s too late.

Carla Gugino Exclusive Video Interview

Carla Gugino, who plays Kendra, Elliot’s primary caretaker on Mars, talked to uInterview in an exclusive video about what drew her to the film, and her experience working with Asa Butterfield, who plays Elliot.

“I was really intrigued by a woman who would rather be on Mars, who would rather be away from the rest of humanity…to not have to deal with the messiness of life,” Gugino told uInterview. “You’re introduced to these four characters who are loners, either by choice or by circumstance, and in coming together, they build this patchwork of a family that gives them a reason to be alive, and that was a really compelling notion to me.”

Gugino came to feel strongly about her co-star, Asa Butterfield, who is best known for his role in Ender’s Game.

“Asa and I had such a wonderful time from day one,” Gugino said. “He has this really wonderful… idea of seeing the world anew, in such a beautiful way. From the first scene we shot together… [made me] have such deep care for him.”

Would she ever want to live as a Mars colonist? “You know it’s funny, I’ve been asked that a lot for obvious reasons, with this character,” she said. “if someone came to me and said, ‘we can get you on a plane to Mars, you wanna check it out?’ I don’t know how I’d say no. But I think I just like people too much…That was one of the things that attracted me to this role: this woman has very different aspirations than I do. So even after playing her, I might be a little more interested, but it’s not my inclination.”

The Space Between Us, directed by Peter Chelsom, will hit theaters Feb. 3.

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Q: What drew you to this script? -

You know when I first read the script I was filming a small dark character piece called "Wolves" that I did with Michael Shannon, and I was filming it just here in New York City. And I got this script, and the reason I mention that is because this was like an entirely different world, and that's one of the things that I love about movies is the fact that when you begin to read a script, if it's working, or obviously when you go and sit in a theatre, you're transported, and it's something that made me want to act when I was five and saw my first movie on the big screen. So when I started reading this, I loved that it was original, I loved that it wasn't from any kind of source material, it wasn't a sequel to something, and yet it had this sort of magical quality to it, it has sci-fi elements and this character is an astronaut. I was really intrigued by a woman who would rather be on Mars, who would rather be away from the rest of humanity, who kind of wanted to use that job as an excuse to, of course she had the aspirations as an astronaut, but also, to not have to deal with the messiness of life. And then you're introduced to these four characters who are loners, either by choice or by circumstance, and in coming together, they build this patchwork of a family that gives them a reason to be alive, and that was a really compelling notion to me. I think those were some of the elements. I'm also a huge fan of Gary Oldman's, and Peter Chelsom, the director, and I have been wanting to work together for a really long time. Those were all the initial things.

Q: What was the most memorable moment working with Asa Butterfield? -

Ace and I had such a wonderful time from day 1. We did a lot of our wirework training together, in terms of the zero gravity stuff when we're floating and everything, so we're harnessed and we have wires. Basically, what you don't realize until you're doing it, is if you just let go, you'll start spinning, so it requires a lot of core strength to make it look like you're floating through space. So basically Pilates has nothing on the harness in terms of an ab workout. But we were just laughing about that, and also we ended up weighting our ankles, running with weights to give us a sense of what it might feel like to be in earth's gravity. So that was kinda a great way just to get to know each other and be with a stunt person and kind of figuring all that stuff out. And he has this really wonderful, I think he captured in this movie, the idea of seeing the world anew, in such a beautiful way. From the first scene we shot together, that is what made me, what makes her as a character, have such deep care for him, and for me as an actor as well.

Q: Would you ever join a colony on another planet? -

You know it's funny, I've been asked that a lot for obvious reasons, with this character. And no, I don't think that's something, I mean who's to say, if someone came to me and said, "we can get you on a plane to Mars, you wanna check it out?" I don't know how I'd say no. But I think I just like people too much. I don't know if I'd want to go to uh -- that was one of the things that attracted me to this role: this woman has very different aspirations than I do. So even after playing her, I might be a little more interested, but it's not my inclination.